With All Due Respect
by Hot elf
Summary: After a tough mission, James really just wants a hot shower and some rest. Little does he expect to end up naked in Commander Shepard's quarters. But once the dam is broken, the two of them realize there's far more than just physical attraction between them.
1. Forgetful

**Chapter 1 - Forgetful**

The hot water pounded his broad back in a steady, soothing rhythm, loosening at least a little of the tension in his muscles. James' eyes were closed in utter bliss. The mission had been tough, Geth Hunters and Primes coming at them from all sides. More than once he'd felt sure they were finished, but Shepard hadn't given up. She never would.

As soon as he'd been out of the shuttle, he'd headed straight for the shower, and doubtlessly so had Kaidan. No such luxury for the Commander, though - she'd been called to the Comm Room the moment they'd set foot on the Normandy again.

Getting out of the shower, James reached for a towel, wrapping it around his waist without bothering to dry off first. He felt bone-tired, more than ready to catch some sleep. With a sigh, he gathered up his sweaty fatigues from where they were lying in a crumpled heap on the floor and dropped them in the fancy laundry chute thoughtfully provided by the Cerberus engineers. It was only when the lid snapped shut that he realized he'd forgotten to bring a change of clothes. _Mierda!_

He looked down at himself, forcing his tired brain to come up with a solution. Ah, well. It wasn't so bad. He would sneak a look out, make sure no one was around and dash over to the elevator. Once he was down in the Shuttle Bay, it was only a few steps to his own private corner. Esteban would probably spot him and give him an earful, but he could deal with that.

His plan made up, he opened the door just a tiny crack and peered around the corner. All clear. And he was in luck. The elevator's panel showed that it was on his floor - no waiting. Taking a deep breath, he tightened the towel around his hips, let the door slide open and ran.

He made it to the elevator without interference. Leaning back against the closing doors with a grateful exhale, he reached for the controls, ready to head straight for the Shuttle Bay - and froze in place when they lit up just before he touched them. _Priority override. Captain's Cabin._ James swallowed. _Oh shit! _The elevator whizzed smoothly upward, leaving him no time to come up with any sort of strategy. Before he even knew what was happening, the door slid open again, and he was face to face with his commanding officer.

He'd been through a few tight spots with Susannah Shepard, and he knew she wasn't easily flustered. But when her eyes lit upon him, her mouth dropped open in a perfect o-shape. "James? What the blazing-" She shook her head in disbelief. "I hope you have a damn good explanation for this, Lieutenant!"

His face felt so hot he just knew he was blushing like an Asari maiden. "Commander, I... look, I was in the shower and I forgot to bring-"

She rolled her sky-blue eyes impatiently. "Never mind. What do we do now?"

"Well, I was just going to go down to the Bay and-"

"You can't." Shepard's hand flew up to her mouth, whether to hide a smile or to stifle a shocked cry, he wasn't sure. "The Quarian admirals will arrive there any moment now. I was on my way to greet them." She cleared her throat. "And I don't think it would go down well if I do so with a half-naked marine at my side."

_Shit, shit, shit._ James didn't know what to say. "Lola, I..."

"Don't you_ dare _call me Lola now, James!" Shepard's lips were thin with furious determination, and he could see she was thinking fast.

_"Commander. The admirals' shuttle has just arrived. You'd better get down there quickly, or there might be a diplomatic incident."_ Was there an undertone of amusement in EDI's voice over the intercom?

"I'll be there." Shepard huffed in exasperation. "Lieutenant. In there." She gestured toward her cabin. "And stay in there until I tell you to get out. That's an order."

He stumbled over the threshold, too stunned to speak. The elevator doors were already closing, and so was the door behind him. "Holy hell!" He grabbed for the controls, but they lit up a bright red.

_"Sorry, Lieutenant. Commander's orders. You are to stay here until she tells you otherwise."_ Yup. Definitely amused. EDI was enjoying this far too much.

With a colourful curse, he turned to look around. He'd only been here once, when he'd talked to Shepard about joining the N7 programme. The place was pretty impressive, with the giant aquarium and the elegant leather couch. Not his kind of place, though. And anyway, it was hard to get comfortable knowing you were in your commanding officer's quarters wearing nothing but a towel.

Gingerly, he sat down on the couch, trying to get comfortable among the padded cushions. They _were_ nice and soft. And he was really tired. He wondered how long it would take Shepard to come back. Maybe he ought to try and persuade EDI to let him out. She could even make sure he wouldn't run into anyone else. Or maybe he should... A huge yawn escaped him. Some part of his brain protested that he needed to stay awake, but now that the adrenaline was wearing off, the exhaustion hit him at full strength. Before he knew it, his head sank down on a soft pillow and his eyes fell shut.

* * *

Susannah Shepard made her way up to her cabin silently cursing the day that lay behind her. The mission had been taxing enough, but the negotiations afterwards had been worse. Try as she might, she didn't really get along well with Quarians. Talking to a mask, without the clues provided by facial expressions, was hard for a visual person like her. Sure, body language and nuances of tone were a big help, and she _was_ getting better at this, but God, it was exhausting.

Inside her cabin, she headed straight for the showers, eager to wash off the sweat and the nastier memories. As she turned on the spray, she briefly wished Cerberus had thought of adding a tub to the cabin's many luxuries. What she wouldn't give for a long hot soak now! She showered quickly but thoroughly and slipped on her old nightshirt. It was just an oversized white T-shirt really, with a faded Blasto logo, and it was worn and frayed in places, the fabric soft from many washings.

Yawning, she walked down the steps toward her bed, automatically reaching for the remote to dim the lights down and switch on some relaxing music. Stretching lazily she turned to face the couch - and only just bit back her cry of surprise.

_James! Oh God, I'd completely forgotten about him! _She hadn't really considered her choice of words when she'd told him to stay and wait for her return, but yes, of course. He was just following her orders. And he must have been knackered, considering how he'd thrown himself into the fight earlier today. She smiled fondly at the memory.

He was sleeping on his back, his powerful body stretched out with abandon. The towel had slid up a little, just barely preserving his modesty, and Susannah unconsciously licked her lips. Such an amazing body, all sculpted muscle and smooth, flawless skin, enhanced by his tattoos. She'd always been curious how far they went and whether he had any on his chest and back as well. She took a step closer to satisfy her curiosity, but right then his eyes snapped open, immediately widening in shocked surprise.

"Commander. Oh God, I'm so sorry." He scrambled to pull down the towel, his face heating up in one of those adorable blushes.

Just like him, really. For all his flirting and his big mouth, he'd always retreated at the last minute so far, much to her disappointment. Despite their obvious attraction to each other he had insisted on keeping things "professional." It seemed ridiculous in view of everything going on around them, but of course she would respect his wishes. Or so she told herself.

Yet she couldn't help but notice how hard he was trying to keep his eyes on her face. If she wasn't very much mistaken, he was fighting a losing battle. She stretched slowly and deliberately, and sure enough his gaze travelled downward, taking in her barely covered body and her long, naked legs. Her nipples hardened against the thin fabric of the shirt, and he swallowed audibly. _Maybe tonight..._

"Like what you see, James?" Susannah almost winced. Her husky voice sounded strange to herself, and the line was cheesy at best. She really had to do better. God, when was the last time she'd even tried to seduce anyone?

"I..." He was blushing even more now, but he stayed where he was, as if glued to the couch. She did her best to hold back a smug grin when she realized he probably couldn't get up without embarrassing himself even further.

"It's alright, LT." She stepped even closer, trailing a finger lightly down his chest. "So do I."

He gasped at her touch, but at the same time he caught her hand firmly. "Lola... Commander. We can't. There's regs and-"

"Fuck them." Susannah flinched when she realized how abrupt she sounded. "Look, James." She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. "I like you a lot. And I want you. Besides... the way things are, with the Reapers and everything else, none of us may be alive in few months. Don't you think we're a little past worrying about regs?"

He closed his eyes, shuddering all over, letting go of her wrist. "If you put it like that... Do you really want me?"

"God, yes." She couldn't resist any longer. Dropping on her knees, she ran her hand up his strong thigh and slipped it under the towel, keeping a careful eye on his reaction.

He moaned when her fingers closed around him, his hips bucking up sharply. Oh, but he felt _nice_. Thick and hard, and so warm! Touching him sent a rush of heat to her core. Bending down, Susannah carefully pushed the towel aside and placed a soft kiss on his hot skin.

"Lola! Damn it, you-" James hands were in her hair, tugging impatiently at her braid. "Please."

She smiled to herself. Without letting go of him, she reached up with her other hand and quickly untied her hair. When it fell around her face like a golden curtain, he made a strangled noise, somewhere between awe and lust. "God, I've wanted to see you like this forever."

"Like this?" With a mischievous smile, she slid higher, straddling him and grabbing the hem of her shirt in both hands. "Or like this?"

He gasped again when she yanked off the shirt, revealing she was naked underneath, but his eyes took on a determined gleam. Firm, strong hands grabbed her waist and then he was kissing her, and she nearly forgot how to breathe. Those full, warm lips were doing things to her that she couldn't explain. God, when had she ever been kissed like this before, with such single-minded focus and devotion? It was addictive.

She couldn't get enough of his mouth on hers until he moved deeper and found her nipples, sucking gently, then flicking his tongue against the sensitive buds. Within moments, she was keening with lust, grinding herself against him, and he pulled back with a stuttering breath.

"Wait a minute." Taking several deep breaths, he held her at arm's length, struggling for control. "_Dios_, you feel so good."

One of his large hands wandered up her thigh, and she opened up willingly for him, trembling with lust when he slid a finger deep inside her heat. "So wet for me." There was pride in his voice, and something almost like reverence, and it made her throat go tight.

"Only for you," she whispered in his ear, and he went taut under her hands again.

"Please." He lay back, pulling her with him. "I need-"

She nodded, stroking his cheek with infinite gentleness. Catching his eye, she pushed herself up a bit, then carefully lowered herself down on his hard shaft. God, he felt so good! So big that he was stretching her a little, a faint burn that made the feeling of being full all the more delicious.

And all the time she was drowning in his gaze, revelling in the sincere affection and admiration she could see there. She moved her hips, slowly and carefully, but even that tiny motion made it more than clear neither of them would last long. He whined softly, unable to keep his hips still, and she was shaking all over with need. When she repeated the motion, the muscles in his stomach went taut as ropes and his hand went up to her neck, pulling her into another long, deep kiss.

"_Déjame_... let me." His mouth against hers, he started a slow rhythm, his hips moving upward in small, steady thrusts that drove her insane.

She was getting hazy at this point, and unsure of what exactly she was whispering in his ears, probably begging him not to stop, to take her harder, deeper, faster. Whatever it was, his eyes went dark at her words. Without apparent effort, he flipped her over, spreading her wide and then he began to move in earnest.

Susannah cried out with delight when he found the perfect spot inside her and held her firmly in place, hitting it over and over until she screamed again, overcome with a pleasure so intense she nearly passed out. He kept going for a few more thrusts, then she felt him join her, trembling all over with the force of his orgasm.

"Good?" There was a hint of insecurity in his voice when he began to pull back and she instinctively locked her legs around his waist, drawing him back in.

"Perfect." She tapped her finger lightly against his lips, enjoying his renewed blush. "We should have done this a long time ago. Don't you agree?"

He didn't reply, but the smile spreading over his face was answer enough.

* * *

_This was written for suilven as a thank you for organizing the CMDA Secret Santa Fic Exchange. Big hugs and thanks to you, suil, and also to zevgirl for betaing this for me.  
_


	2. If That's What It Takes

**Chapter 2 - If That's What It Takes**

There was a moment of disorientation as he woke up, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. The star field behind the skylight over him, stretching into the infinite distance of space, the big bed, the fluorescent light of the aquarium, Shepard's intoxicating scent all around him... James' eyes flew wide open as the events of the last night came back to him, flooding his mind with a mixture of embarrassment and awe.

_Shepard_. He'd slept with Commander Shepard. The woman he'd admired forever, first from afar, then with new intensity as soon as he'd met her. It would take some time to wrap his mind around the thought that she had actually wanted _him_, James Vega, wanted to be with him, make love to him. And yet it had happened, and it had been all he'd ever dreamed of, and more. His heart sped up at the thought, whether from arousal or from anxiety he wasn't sure.

_Shepard_. _Lola. _Only now did it register that he was alone in her bed. She was nowhere to be seen. Propping himself up on his elbows, he looked around the room, until he finally detected a small sliver of light coming from the door to the bathroom. _M__ystery solved, I guess._

Last night, after they'd made love, he'd held her tight until she'd nearly fallen asleep in his arms. Then he'd carefully picked her up and carried her over to the bed, ready to sneak out of the room. She'd refused to let him go, though, pulling him down to her side, holding on to him until he too had succumbed to sleep again. He glanced over at the bedside clock. Six o'clock. He'd spent the whole night in her bed, in her arms. And now...

Before he could make up his mind on what to do, the bathroom door swished open and Shepard walked toward him, naked and completely unselfconscious. Her body was trim and muscular, probably too much so for most men's tastes, but he adored it, her taut, flat stomach, her strong arms and legs. Compared to him, she still looked almost petite, but he wasn't fooled. He had felt her strength last night, and he remembered their little scuffle in the Shuttle Bay all too well. With her superior speed and agility, she could easily take him, if she wanted to.

James watched her face anxiously, ready to pick up on any sign that she wanted him gone, but she was smiling happily at him, running her eyes appreciatively over his prone body. "James. Bathroom's all yours, if you need it."

He nodded and made his way there, inhaling her scent in passing, almost stopping in his tracks when the memories of the past night assailed him with full force. Her lips, her hands on him, her heat surrounding him... Yet, he needed to take care of his body's demands first, and it didn't seem as if she was in a hurry to get dressed.

But as he stepped under the shower, the doubts were back. Was she just too polite to throw him out? He'd seen her smile through enough tedious meetings to know she could hide her feelings if she wanted to. And in all probability, last night had been nothing more than a brief distraction for her. _Get real, man. She's Commander Shepard. She was tired and needed someone to take her mind off things, but that's all there is to it._ And yet, the way she'd looked at him last night when they'd made love had been anything but casual. And what she'd said... He recalled her words with perfect clarity. _I like you James, a lot._

_Like_, not _love__. Big difference._ He sighed, turning off the spray. Reaching for a big, fluffy towel, he made up his mind. He'd kiss her good-bye, apologize once more for the mishap in the elevator and then return to his quarters, with or without clothes. Being involved with her would mean far too many complications, for both of them.

His resolution held up until the moment when he approached the bed and found her snuggled under the covers, smiling up at him.

"James. Come back to bed." Her voice held none of the seductive purr it had last night, just warmth and a hint of humour, yet it made his throat go tight with want and affection.

More than anything he wanted to join her, hold her, make love to her again. Yet he forced himself to speak. "Are you sure you don't want me to leave? I should-"

"You don't have any clothes," she pointed out in a completely serious voice, but there was a definite twinkle in her eyes. She sat up a little and the blanket slipped down, revealing her shoulders and the top of her breasts.

James swallowed hard. "True. But Lola, we need to talk." He sat down on the edge of the bed. "I need to know where we are going from here. Whether we are going anywhere."

A small frown appeared on her face, but then she reached out for his chin and made him look at her. "Where do you want us to go, James?"

He licked his lips nervously. "I... Lola, last night was..." He realized he was stammering and took a deep breath. "You have no idea how long I've dreamt of you."

"And now that your dream has come true?" Her face was unreadable, but there was a hint of a tremble in her voice, betraying an insecurity he hadn't expected.

He decided to throw all caution to the wind. "I don't want it to end." It came out as barely more than a whisper, but her face lit up at his words.

"Oh, James." She kissed him softly. "You are such a sweetheart. And trust me I don't either." She sighed. "But it's going to be difficult, you know. Outside this cabin, I'll still be your commander. You'll have to follow my orders, without question. And there can't be any PDA, no matter how much we want to."

He nodded, though his heart felt heavy. "I understand. No one will hear about it from me, ma'am."

"That's not-" She shook her head vigorously. "God, no, James! That's not what I meant at all. You're not my guilty little secret, and I don't care who else knows what we're doing here." She made a face. "Half the ship has probably guessed at it already anyway. They're not stupid."

It was only when the air left his lungs with a sudden rush that he realized he'd been holding his breath. He opened his mouth to speak, but she silenced him with a finger to his lips. "Enough talking for now. We can sort it all out later, _cariño_." He raised an astonished eyebrow at the Spanish endearment, but she just laughed. "Later. I have about an hour before I need to be back on the bridge. Any ideas on what we could do?"

He didn't need to be asked twice. "Lots of ideas, _mi ángel_."

* * *

Before she knew what was happening, James had yanked the blanket aside, and his lips were trailing hot kisses all the way down her body. Susannah arched into his touch with a giddy laugh. She hadn't felt so happy, so much at ease in a man's company for years. _Not even-_ _But no. Stop it, Susannah. Not now._ She brushed aside all thoughts of Kaidan, focussing on the man here in her bed, on the things he was doing to her body, on the pleasant tingle all over her skin at his touch.

Looking down on him, Susannah watched him fondly, admiring the strong line of his shoulders, the intriguing pattern of his tattoos, and the single-minded focus in his posture. Just then he glanced up at her, catching her gaze as he spread her legs wide and dipped his head between them.

There was no way to hold back her cry when his tongue found her heat. "James! Oh yes, don't stop."

She almost felt him smile against her, but he complied willingly, tracing every fold of her with his tongue before thrusting it deep inside her. Susannah hardly recognized the sounds she made. It felt so good, so gloriously good, and it had been so long. He took his time to pleasure her, teasing her to the brink of ecstasy, even though she could feel his want. It was almost unbearable, yet so sweet that she was helpless to stop him

But then his swirling tongue hit a particularly sensitive spot, almost sending her over the edge, and she realized she had to put a stop to this if she wanted more. "James. Inside me. Now!"

She wasn't aware she'd used the voice she normally reserved for commands, until she felt his reaction to it. Without a moment's hesitation, he slid up between her legs and buried himself up to the hilt inside her. If she hadn't been more than ready for him, it would have been too much, but she was so worked up, so hungry for him that all she managed was a hoarse cry before she clenched hard around him. He responded with a guttural moan, his hands grabbing the folds of the blanket hard as he fought to keep control.

Susannah almost didn't care. She was too far gone, waves of lust washing all through her body, her skin alive with pleasure. But then his lips found hers in a long, deep kiss, passionate and tender at the same time. She could taste herself on his lips, see the utter devotion in his eyes, and the perfection of it all brought tears to her eyes.

"Shhh, Lola." Gently, he wiped them off with his thumb, kissing her softly, just holding her for a moment, until she had calmed down.

When he started moving again, she was grateful for his earlier restraint, because she didn't want it to be over so quickly. His length inside her, his arms holding her tight, the expression on his face as he moved above her... She wished it would last forever, wished she could hold on to the moment, but of course it did end eventually. Not before he'd brought her over a second time, though, screaming his name and raking her nails down his back.

She clung to him afterwards, for a few more precious minutes, until a glance at the clock reminded her it was time to get ready for another day. His face was almost comically embarrassed when he realized he still didn't have any clothes to put on.

"Wait here." She slipped on her uniform and kissed his cheek. "Just tell me where you keep your stuff and I'll be back in a moment."

He blushed at this. "In my chest, under the workbench. But-"

"Don't worry." She was already at the door, flashing a wicked smile back at him. "It's no trouble. Priority override, remember?"

The elevator ride was uneventful, thank God. Susannah bit back a grin at the thought of how last night might have played out if she hadn't called the elevator up in time. The thought of General Xen's face when she came mask to face with a half-naked James nearly sent her into a bout of hysterical giggles. _Who knows? Maybe she'd use him as the blueprint for a synthetic super soldier._

Down in the Shuttle Bay, Susannah quickly grabbed a change of clothes for James, noting with approval that his clothes were immaculately clean and neatly folded. She chose briefs, fatigues and a tight white t-shirt, smiling to herself at the thought of how sexy he would look in it. _Face it, Susannah. You've got it bad._

She was almost back at the elevator when she ran into Steve.

He raised a suggestive eyebrow at the bundle of clothes in her hands, but pointedly refrained from commenting until she planted herself in front of him, raising her chin defiantly.

"Well?" She didn't miss the way his lips twitched at the sight of her belligerent expression. "Anything you wish to say, Lieutenant?"

He snapped to attention. "Nothing, Commander." But when she nodded, a slow smile spread over his face and he cleared his throat. "Only that I'm glad. It was about time he got his head far enough out of his ass to act upon his feelings."

She felt heat rising in her cheeks and dropped her gaze. "Yeah, well. There were... unforeseeable circumstances. Involving the Quarian admirals."

Steve was grinning openly now. "One day, you'll have to tell me the whole story, Commander."

"Dream on." She snorted. "You'd have to get me drunk to make me."

His grin widened. "If that's what it takes."

* * *

_I thought this was going to be just a one shot, but as usual, the characters had other ideas... Big hugs and thanks to zevgirl for her help!  
_


	3. Good and Bad Advice

**Chapter 3 – Good and Bad Advice**

Garrus was leaning against the bar counter, his face grim. Or maybe that was just the default turian expression. "You will take good care of her."

James groaned in mock desperation. "Garrus! Not you too!" During the past twenty-four hours, it seemed as if every single member of the crew had approached him in a similar manner. "But to answer your question, yes, I will. I promise."

The turian nodded, his expression unchanged. "It wasn't a question. I'm sure you're perfectly aware of what will happen to you if you don't."

James raised his hands in a gesture of pure defensiveness. "Yes. Everyone's made that abundantly clear to me. Liara sounded pretty vicious, actually. Heck, even Joker told me he'd have my head if I hurt her." He sighed. "Look. I get it. You all care about her."

"We do. She's been hurt before and she doesn't need that now." Garrus' tone was serious, his sub-vocals humming with some kind of emotion. Pity? Anger? "Shepard… I never thought I could be friends with a human, but she's taught me otherwise. There's no Shepard without Vakarian, remember that."

"Yeah, yeah." James was beginning to feel a little nervous. "But the two of you never-"

"Hell, no!" Garrus shook his head. "Well, there was that one time when we were both kinda tense and seriously considered blowing off some steam together. We even watched a few extranet vids together, tried to sort out how it would work." He made a curious noise. "Seemed a lot more trouble than it was worth, though, so we left it at that."

Garrus' mandibles twitched. Was that a smile? A grin even? James was never quite sure where turians were concerned. _Shepard would know._

* * *

_Why do people always assume I know everything? _Susannah sighed deeply. The warm buzzing in her stomach that had accompanied her all through the day and night, a pleasant reminder of the night spent in James' arms, was rapidly fading, replaced by an all-too-familiar sense of emotional fatigue.

An hour ago Traynor had casually approached her with a request for help from Admiral Hackett. A Cerberus base on Noveria needed to be dealt with, and soon.

Traynor hadn't really been forthcoming with details about the proposed mission. "You've been there before, haven't you?"

Susannah rolled her eyes. _As if I could recall every little thing about every planet I've seen over the years!_ Sure, fighting Matriarch Benezia had been memorable. But back then they had landed at a regular spaceport, and she hadn't actually seen much of Noveria except for Port Hanshan and the Peak 15 facility. All she remembered was that it had been pretty damn cold.

This time they would go straight for the Cerberus fighter base, hidden somewhere in the back of beyond. She tried to focus on the mission briefing in her journal, attempting to come up with a strategy, but there really wasn't much to go on. If only she had a better idea what to expect!

Susannah hated going into any situation unprepared, even if it was just a routine assignment. She prided herself on being ready for every eventuality. Maybe Hackett would have some advice once she got him on the intercom. In the meantime, she needed to assemble her squad. Kaidan and James could do with a bit of rest after the tough fight on the Geth Dreadnought. She decided to take Garrus. It was always good to have him at her back. She would need a biotic, too, Liara maybe, or Javik. In moments like this, she really missed Miranda. She would have been perfect for this mission.

As for the weapons-

She sighed when she realized she'd messed up her hair by tearing at it. Shaking it out, she braided it again, making sure no strand escaped, then threw the braid back over her shoulder and straightened her shoulders. Time to go.

* * *

James wasn't particularly hungry. As a matter of fact, he had even considered skipping lunch altogether. Then again, he had already worked out for an hour or two, had a nice chat with Esteban in the shower, and checked all his gear thoroughly. What else was there to do, while they were waiting for Shepard to return?

She had left for Noveria with Garrus and Javik early in the morning, set to take out yet another Cerberus base. He missed her, but he wasn't overly worried about her. From the sound of it, it was a routine assignment, and he expected her back soon.

He quickly scanned the menu before picking one of the dishes from the mess hall's counter. While the quality of the food was better than on most ships he'd served on, it was still nothing to write home about, and he suppressed a wistful sigh at the memory of his _abuela's_ cooking. If he ever got enough shore leave again, he'd take Shepard there for a decent meal.

Not that he was even sure she'd appreciate it. Lola was a spacer kid through and through. She had spent all her childhood on board various ships and space stations, eating variations on nutrient paste. The thought of the face she'd make at the sight of a proper burrito casserole, spicy and creamy, with refried beans and real beef, made him chuckle to himself.

"Pleasant thoughts, Lieutenant?" There was a cool edge to Major Alenko's voice as he took his place in line behind James.

"Just memories of home, sir." James kept his voice carefully neutral.

He didn't know what to make of the major, if he was quite honest. Of course he admired his achievements and abilities. Alenko was an incredibly powerful biotic, one of the finest Alliance officers, the second human Spectre – without doubt a man deserving of his respect. He was also Shepard's former lover.

She hadn't really mentioned him so far, but James had read her dossier, back when he was guarding her on Earth, and he knew she'd been involved with Alenko before her… death. He also knew it was over between them, well and truly over. He didn't need a dossier to tell him. No one could possibly miss the strained tone of their interactions, nor the cold distance in her voice. And yet she'd agreed to have the major back on her ship. James sighed, wondering when would be a good time to raise the topic with her.

Choosing a table, he plunked his tray down on it and pulled up a chair.

"Mind if I join you?" Alenko's voice, and right behind him.

James nearly jumped. "Not at all, sir."

He cursed himself the moment Alenko sat down opposite him. He _did_ mind. He didn't feel comfortable in the man's company. His own relationship with Susannah Shepard was still far too new, too fragile. Still, there was really no polite way out of this situation, so he did his best to stay civil.

"That was a bad business on Benning, don't you think, sir?" Kaidan's biotics had helped him out of a tough spot, when Shepard had taken them both along on that particular mission a while ago. Yet James cursed himself the moment the words left his lips. Anything involving Cerberus was probably _not_ a safe topic of conversation.

The major's scarred lip curved up in the ghost of a smirk. "Yes. It's always unpleasant if civilians get targeted. Not much of a surprise for anyone who's had dealings with the Illusive Man before, though."

James nodded, avoiding the other man's gaze. "I'm sure Commander Shepard thought the same."

Alenko leaned back in his seat. He took his time to answer, chewing slowly first, then wiping his mouth with his napkin. "Ah, yes. Shepard. Yes, I'm sure she knew exactly what to expect."

The bitterness in his voice made James flinch. "The Commander has severed all her ties with Cerberus, Major. We had her under constant surveillance for months. There's no way she could have-"

"Oh, I have no doubt you watched her _closely_, Lieutenant." Alenko's voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Be careful, though. She might be a bit more than you can handle."

James inhaled slowly, trying to keep calm. "I don't recall asking for your advice, _sir_."

"And yet you'd be wise to take it." Another bitter laugh. "Don't ever fool yourself into thinking you've got her sorted out, Lieutenant. She'll always have a surprise up her sleeve. I don't think I ever understood her."

James nodded slowly. "I don't claim to understand her either, sir. But maybe I don't need to."

Alenko huffed, a provocative smirk on his lips. "So that's the way it is. You'll be a good boy, never questioning her decisions. Not even when she leaves you up here and goes off fighting, preferring others over you?"

"That's not the way I see it. Shepard chooses the ideal squad for each mission, depending on the parameters. That's all there is to it." James felt anger rising within him. "Look, sir, I don't know what game you're playing here." He got up, what little appetite he'd had all but gone. "All _I _know is the Commander is one hell of a woman, and she has a lot on her plate. Anything I can do to help her, I will."

The major gave him a surprised look, all the sarcasm suddenly gone. "You sound serious about her."

_So that's your game? You're trying to rile me up, see if I'm good enough for her?_ And yet, Alenko had sounded genuinely mad at Shepard only moments earlier. _Maybe he doesn't know himself what this is about. But either way, he's out of line._

James realized he was past caring about consequences. Taking another deep breath, he pulled himself up to his full height, towering over the major. "You bet I am serious. And you know what? Don't _you_ dare give me the _don't-hurt-her_ talk, Alenko! You of all people have no right to do that." He felt his hands clench into fists. "Garrus told me about Horizon. You deserted her, back there. You have no call to act all jealous and protective now."

Alenko's mouth opened briefly, but then snapped shut again, his eyes flashing with hurt. James left before the man could get his act together again. He knew this was a hollow victory at best, but he didn't have it in him to regret his words. _About time somebody told him!_

* * *

Susannah squinted over Joker's shoulder, trying to make sense of the Normandy's readings. On returning from Noveria, she'd been all but frozen through and thoroughly sick of wasting her time on yet another shady Cerberus operation.

And yet she had grudgingly agreed to take a detour to the Hades Nexus before their next mission, recalling the promises she'd made to a few people on the Citadel. They were looking for various important artefacts, but she wasn't really optimistic they would find anything. It was rather like poking around in a planet-sized haystack, in the hopes of finding a tiny Prothean needle. _I should have told them to go and try their hand at a little exploration of their own! _Irritably she pulled on the end of her braid.

"So… you and the beefcake, eh?" Joker shot her a quick look. "None of my business, of course."

"Oh, come off it, Joker." She dropped into the empty co-pilot's chair with a sigh. "God knows, you've stuck with me long enough to count as a friend, so feel free to speak your mind."

"True." He grinned happily. "You stole the Normandy, got blown up by the Collectors and took us on a suicide mission to the galactic core, and I haven't mutinied once! Anyway, Vega is alright, I guess. Though I'd have expected you to be a bit stricter regarding the regs. If I'd known earlier, maybe…"

Susannah raised an eyebrow. "Really? I don't think so. As for the regs… just between the two of us, I used to be more worried about things like this, but really, what's the point?" Gazing out into the star field before them, she spoke quietly, almost under her breath. "If we don't get our act together there'll be no one left to hold up Alliance rules and regulations anyway."

"Ouch!" Joker flinched. "I think I liked it better when you still believed in the possibility of being court-martialled."

"You're right. Maybe we shouldn't give up on _all_ the rules just yet." Susannah quickly schooled her face into her usual optimistic smile, cursing her brief unguarded moment. "But honestly, I think Admiral Hackett has other things to worry about than my love life."

"Well, I for one am not going to testify against you." Joker smiled reassuringly.

Susannah snorted. "You'd hardly be in a position to do so. At least my boyfriend is 100 percent pure human, no Reaper tech involved."

"Your point being?" The pilot's tone was bone-dry. "I'm pretty sure there's nothing in the regulations to prevent me from dating my ship."

"No, I guess there isn't." Susannah had a hard time hiding her affectionate grin. "So the two of you are still good?"

Joker shrugged. "Why wouldn't we be? EDI's smart, she's funny, and she's into spaceships. As far as I'm concerned she's perfect." He glanced up at her, suddenly serious. "And about Vega… I'm glad things worked out for you for once, Commander. All that Reaper crap must be tough sometimes. Even a badass like you needs someone to lean on once in a while."

Susannah got up to leave, stretching as she did so. _Time for a quick work-out._ "Maybe you're right. Thanks, Joker."

"Always a pleasure to help." His grin was back in place. "See ya, Commander!"

* * *

_A big thank you to zevgirl for her help with this! _


End file.
